Shower enclosures typically comprise a back wall and two opposing side walls. One side of the walls typically includes a shower fixture having a water spraying shower head, while a shower curtain or shower door is used to close off the front of the shower enclosure and is typically positioned between the two opposing side walls.
Shower curtains are often preferable to the more permanent shower door constructions. Shower curtains are usually manufactured from flexible water proof plastic sheet materials and other fabrics, which are less expensive than door assemblies made of expensive rigid plastic or glass. Additionally, shower curtains require only a simple support rod for the curtain to be hung in place between the opposing side walls of the enclosure.
A disadvantage associated with free falling shower curtains, when used in specially designed shower enclosures, is the fact that water spray from the shower head has a tendency to escape through a gap which separates the side edges of the shower curtain from the side walls of the shower enclosure. The so escaped water usually winds up on the exterior wall and floor surfaces, thus making them slippery and dangerous, as well as possibly causing serious damage to aforementioned surfaces. In using shower curtains in humid and wet environments, another major disadvantage is that soap scum and mildew will easily build-up. Such build-up may be hazardous to ones health and is most definitely unaesthetic in a bathroom.
Numerous attempts have been made at retaining the edges of shower curtains at the side walls of the shower enclosure to effectively seal the shower enclosure from escaping water spray. These attempts typically use a shower curtain closure assembly which is attached to the side wall.
Previous shower curtain closures of this type are known to the Applicant, and are illustrated in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,049,061 (Hoegger); U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,547 (Riekse); U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,610 (Mortensen); U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,806 (Armstrong); U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,072 (Dezura); U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,741 (Payne); U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,087 (Zeilinger); U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,324 (Cairns); U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,580 (Dyckow); U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,149 (Phinn, Jr.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,672 (Klotz); U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,755 (Matta); U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,225 B1 (Colvin); U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,566 B2 (Bryce) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,789,279 B2 (Yarid) as well as Canadian patent no. 2,020,320 (Dyckow) and Canadian patent application no. 2,198,154 (Dyckow).
Briefly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,049,061 discloses a system in which an edge of a shower curtain, fitted with beads, is snapped into a corresponding rectangular elongated channel member, which has been previously installed along a wall of the shower bath alcove.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,205,547 and 4,759,087 disclose the use of rubberized mating arrangements for sealingly joining the edges of the curtains to the walls of the shower enclosure. A problem associated with using such arrangements is that the rubber material tends to loosen in the hot, wet and humid environment of the shower. This problem is serious in that the lifecycle of the arrangement in the '547 patent is significantly reduced. In addition, the arrangements described hereinabove are difficult to operate because of the need to manipulate the insertion piece to seal and unseal the edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,610 uses Velcro™ strips for joining the curtain edge to the wall. Additionally, it requires a rail-type arrangement to be mounted on each wall which is difficult to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,072 also uses Velcro™ strips along the walls and Velcro dots for matingly joining with the Velcro strips. Because the Velcro strips and dots are not continuous, water can seep through between the edges of the curtains and the walls. Thus, this arrangement does not provide a seal.
Relatively based on the same principle disclosed in the U.S. '072 patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,149 uses curtain mounted pads which are matedly joined to a series of wall mounted pads. The pads are positioned in such a way so as to produce a shower curtain tensioning effect. Nevertheless, water still manages to seep out of the shower enclosure, as a space exists between the shower wall and top of mounted pads.
As can be seen in FIG. 1, entitled “PRIOR ART”, of the present application, U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,741 discloses an elongated strip magnet assembly mounted on each side of a shower curtain to secure in a closed position the shower curtain across the access opening of a bathing enclosure. Such is done by make use of a series of rigid strips in which a shower curtain is placed thereon. One of the disadvantages associated with this particular assembly is that the deflectable clip does not properly mount over the deflectable strip and such especially when the shower curtain is of variable thicknesses. In fact, the deflectable clip can too easily be removed from the solid strip as its protruding portions (closely positioned to the recesses) are too rounded. Additionally, the proturbence of this assembly would also be more likely to facilitate the disengagement of the curtain from the strip, and such when portions of exceeding shower curtain of different widths and/or thicknesses are present.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,324 discloses a one-piece molding that grips a curtain by locking a small portion of the curtain between a rib on one arm and a groove on a second arm. The arms of this molding are swingable about a third arm through living hinges, and the first arm is adapted to be affixed against a wall of a shower enclosure. The shower curtain is pressed against the wall by one of the arms. A drawback associated with this type of system is that due to its construction, the living hinges can easily snap off. Moreover, it is difficult to install this type of molding as only a small portion of the curtain is to be inserted in the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,580, in the name of the Applicant, discloses a kit for use to fasten the outer surface of a shower curtain to an adjacent wall in the shower closure. A sealing protrusion extends from the wall adjacent the fasteners so that, when the outer surface of the curtain is fastened to the wall, the edge of the curtain abuts the protrusion. This U.S. patent does not suggest or disclose a means of retaining a shower curtain onto a corresponding connecting component as described in the present application.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,672 uses a threaded fastener, containing threaded nuts and shafts, to semi-permanently hold in place an adjustable clamp which receives a shower curtain. This system is not only difficult to install, but for a person to use especially when he or she would like to rapidly exit the shower enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,755 discloses a device, comprised of two magnetic strips, that eliminates a space between a wall of a partial enclosure of a shower enclosure and a shower curtain by maintaining an edge of the shower curtain close to the wall. In operation, a user places the shower curtain between the two magnetic strips of the device, and because of their magnetic properties, the second strip superposes itself onto first strip is adhered onto a wall of the shower enclosure. When the curtain is pulled, the strips self-release from one another, thus allowing the user to exit the shower enclosure. The use of this kind of device is clearly contrary the present invention as disclosed herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,225 B1 discloses a curtain arrangement for attaching a shower curtain to one of the shower enclosure's wall with Velcro™.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,566 B2 discloses a shower curtain closure for closing off a vertical side edge of the curtain against a wall of the shower stall containing a length of extruded plastic tubing, a tube support ring for suspending the tube on the curtain rod, and an elongate vertically oriented wall receptacle into which the tube matingly fits. Basically, the tube is passed through a sleeve along the side of the curtain and is suspended from the curtain support rod by a ring connected to the upper end of the tubing and passing over the shower curtain rod. The device disclosed in this U.S. patent is difficult to use, as a user is expected to successfully wrap a portion of a shower curtain around a rod while inserting it simultaneously into a corresponding channel. This system is also contrary to the invention as disclosed in the present application.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,789,279 B2 discloses a long rod that has a hanging hook at one end is attached to the leading vertical edge of the inner shower curtain or shower curtain liner and is hung on a hook located at shower curtain rod height inside the shower or bath/shower enclosure or attached to a wall mounted upper rod clip.
Although similar in construction to the present invention, Canadian patent application no. 2,198,154 makes use of groove and spline system to pinch and hold the shower curtain in place. Upon using the aforementioned design, mildew, bacterial and soap scum buildup became apparent to the naked eye, as these undesired products built-up on the components of the kit. Another drawback associated to this particular system is that the spline frequently pops out of the groove and the shower curtain enclosure kit is therefore rendered ineffective.
Additionally, it is timely to pinch the spline in a continuous manner into the corresponding groove.
Using a similar type of channel type system as described in Canadian patent application no. 2,198,154, for example, a groove and spline type system, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,806. This U.S. patent proposes to solve the problem of water spraying by engaging the curtain with a loose connecting bar that is placed into and supported by a wall attachment component having the form of a channel. This U.S. patent exhibits the same problems as described in the above Canadian patent application no. 2,198,154.
While the prior art offers proposed solutions for containing water within a shower stall or enclosure, none teach a simple and cost-effective kit that accomplishes the goal of preventing splashing water from leaving the shower enclosure. The manner by which this goal is achieved in the present invention will become more apparent from the following description.